第 23 节
作者:疯狂热线      更新:2021-12-07 09:33      字数:9322
  villages in all the upper troubled country; and afar into the sunset woods
  where the pioneer's cabin had not yet been builded。 He acted with vigor。
  The Indians could not stand against his horsemen and concerted measures;
  and back they fell before the white men; westward again; or; if they stayed
  in the ever dwindling villages; they gave hostages and oaths of peace。
  Quiet seemed to descend once more upon the border。
  But; if the frontier seemed peaceful; Virginia behind the border was a
  bubbling cauldron。 Bacon had now become a hero of the people; a Siegfried
  capable of slaying the dragon。 Nor were Lawrence and Drummond idle; nor
  others of their way of thinking。 The Indian troubles might soon be settled;
  but why not go further; marching against other troubles; more subtle and
  long…continuing; and threatening all the future?
  In the midst of this speculation and promise of change; the Governor;
  feeling the storm; dissolved the Assembly; proclaimed Bacon and his
  adherents rebels and traitors; and made a desperate attempt to raise an
  army for use against the new…fangledness of the time。 This last he could
  not do。 Private interest led many planters to side with him; and there was
  a fair amount of passionate conviction matching his own; that his Majesty
  the King and the forces of law and order were being withstood; and without
  just cause。 But the mass of the people cried out to his speeches; 〃Bacon!
  Bacon!〃 As the popular leader had been warned from Jamestown by news of
  personal danger; so in his turn Berkeley seems to have believed that his
  own liberty was threatened。 With suddenness he departed the place; boarded
  a sloop; and was 〃wafted over Chesapeake Bay thirty miles to Accomac。〃。 The
  news of the Governor's flight; producing both alarm in one party and
  enthusiasm in the other; tended to precipitate the crisis。 Though the
  Indian trouble might by now be called adjusted; Bacon; far up the York; did
  not disband his men。 He turned and with them marched down country; not to
  Jamestown; but to a hamlet called Middle Plantation; where later was to
  grow the town of Williamsburg。 Here he camped; and here took counsel with
  Lawrence and Drummond and others; and here addressed; with a curious; lofty
  eloquence; the throng that began to gather。 Hence; too; he issued a
  〃Declaration;〃 recounting the misdeeds of those lately in power; protesting
  against the terms rebel and traitor as applied to himself and his
  followers; who are only in arms to protect his Majesty's demesne and
  subjects; and calling on those who are well disposed to reform to join him
  at Middle Plantation; there to consider the state of the country which had
  been brought into a bad way by 〃Sir William's doting and irregular actings。〃
  Upon his proclamation many did come to Middle Plantation; great planters
  and small; men just freed from indentured service; holders of no land and
  little land and much land; men of all grades of weight and consideration
  and all degrees of revolutionary will; from Drummond…with a reported
  speech; 〃I am in overshoes; I will be in overboots!〃 and a wife Sarah who
  snapped a stick in two with the cry; 〃I care no more for the power of
  England than for this broken straw!〃to those who would be revolutionary
  as long as; and only when; it seemed safe to be so。
  How much of revolution; despite that speech about his Majesty's demesne and
  subjects; was in Bacon's mind; or in Richard Lawrence's mind and William
  Drummond's mind; or in the mind of their staunchest supporters; may hardly
  now be resolved。 Perhaps as much as was in the mind of Patrick Henry;
  Thomas Jefferson; and George Mason a century later。
  The Governor was in Accomac; breathing fire and slaughter; though as yet
  without brand or sword with which to put his ardent desires into execution。
  But he and the constituted order were not without friends and supporters。
  He had; as his opponents saw; a umber of 〃wicked and pernicious
  counsellors; aides and assistants against the commonalty in these our cruel
  commotions。〃 Moreoverand a great moreover is that!it was everywhere
  bruited that he had sent to England; to the King; 〃for two thousand Red
  Coates。〃 Perhaps the Kingperhaps England…will take his view; and; not
  consulting the good of Virginia; send the Red Coats! What then?
  Bacon; as a measure of opposition; proposed 〃a test or ecognition;〃 to be
  signed by those here at Middle Plantation who earnestly do wish the good of
  Virginia。 It was a bold test! Not only should they covenant to give no aid
  to the whilom Governor against this new general and army; but if ships
  should bring the Red Coats they were to withstand them。 There is little
  wonder that 〃this bugbear did marvellously startle〃 that body of Virginia
  horsemen; those progressive gentlemen planters; and others。 Yet in the end;
  after violent contentions; the assembly at Middle Plantation drew up and
  signed a remarkable paper; the 〃Oath at Middle Plantation。〃 Historically;
  it is linked on the one hand with that 〃thrusting out of his government〃 of
  Sir John Harvey in Charles I's time; and on the other with Virginian
  proceedings a hundred years later under the third George。 If his Majesty
  had been; as it was rumored; wrongly informed that Virginia was in
  rebellion; if; acting upon that misinformation; he sent troops against his
  loyal Virginians…who were armed only against an evil Governor and
  intolerable woes then these same good loyalists would 〃oppose and suppress
  all forces whatsoever of that nature; until such time as the King be fully
  informed of the state of the case。〃 What was to happen if the King; being
  informed; still supported Berkeley and sent other Red Coats was not taken
  into consideration。
  This paper; being drawn; was the more quickly signed because there arrived;
  in the midst of the debate; a fresh Indian alarm。 Attack threatened a fort
  upon the York…whence the Governor had seen fit to remove arms and
  ammunition! The news came most opportunely for Bacon。 〃There were no more
  discourses。〃 The major portion of the large assemblage signed。
  The old Government in Virginia was thus denied。 But it was held that
  government there must be; and that the people of Virginia through
  representatives must arrange for it。 Writs of election; made as usual in
  the King's name; and signed by Bacon and by those members of the Council
  who were of the revolt; went forth to all counties。 The Assembly thus
  provided was to meet at Jamestown in September。
  So much business done; off rode Bacon and his men to put down this latest
  rising of the Indians。 Not only these but red men in a new quarter; tribes
  south of the James; kept them employed for weeks to come。 Nor were they
  unmindful of that proud old man; Sir William Berkeley; over on the Eastern
  Shore; a well…peopled region where traveling by boat and by sandy road was
  sufficiently easy。 Bacon; Lawrence; and Drummond finally decided to take
  Sir William captive and to bring him back to Jamestown。 For this purpose
  they dispatched a ship across the Bay; with two hundred and fifty men;
  under the command of Giles Bland; 〃a man of courage and haughty bearing;〃
  and 〃no great admirer of Sir William's goodness。〃 The ship proceeded to the
  Accomac shore; anchored in some bight; and sent ashore men to treat with
  the Governor。 But the Governor turned the tables on them。 He made himself
  captor; instead of being made captive。 Bland and his lieutenants were
  taken; whereupon their following surrendered into Berkeley's hands。 Bland's
  second in command was hanged; Bland himself was held in irons。
  Now Berkeley's star was climbing。 In Accomac he gathered so many that; with
  those who had fled with him and later recruits who crossed the Bay; he had
  perhaps a thousand men。 He stowed these upon the ship of the ill…fated
  Bland and upon a number of sloops。 With seventeen sail in all; the old
  Governor set his face west and south towards the mouth of the James。
  In that river; on the 7th of September; 1676; there appeared this fleet of
  the King's Governor; set on retaking Virginia。 Jamestown had notice。 The
  Bacon faction held the place with perhaps eight hundred men; Colonel
  Hansford at their head。 Summoned by Berkeley to surrender; Hansford
  refused; but that same night; by advice of Lawrence and Drummond; evacuated
  the place; drawing his force off toward the York。 The next day; emptied of
  all but a few citizens; Jamestown received the old Governor and his army。
  The tidings found Bacon on the upper York。 Acting with his accustomed
  energy; he sent out; far and wide; ringing appeals to the country to rouse
  itself; for men to join him and march to the defeat of the old tyrant。
  Numbers did come in。 He moved with 〃marvelous celerity。〃 When he had; for
  the time and place; a large force of rebels; he marched; by stream and
  plantation; tobaccofield and forest; forge and mill; through the early
  autumn country to Jamestown。 Civil war was on。
  Across the narrow neck of the Jamestown penin sula had been thrown a sort
  of fortification with ditch; earthwork; and palisade。 Before this Bacon now
  sounded trumpets。 No answer coming; but the mouths of cannon appearing at
  intervals above the breastwork; the 〃rebel〃 general halted; enc